Oshigurama

"Huh... it appears you need to be enlightened." In a pompous voice, she exclaimed as she stepped out of the shadows.

"Listen, kid. Some beings go beyond this universe, and each of them has its own separate realities. The enhancement I gave you isn't the ability to see memories. What I gave you is... the ability to walk in other worlds."

|...|

As she stepped out of the cloak of darkness enveloping the room, I couldn't help but noticed a familiarity. Snow-white hair reaching below the hips, a thin frame that seems like it'd fall apart with just a gentle breeze, and her face. It appears to be wrinkled by old age, but she looks like... Ria.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd refrain from staring at me, kid." In an aloof manner, she remarked with her arms crossed.

"S-Sorry! It's just that... you look familiar." I flustered as I looked away.

"Don't get any weird ideas. I'm not related to m-... your infatuation."

"Y-Yeah, that's on me."

"..."

After a couple seconds of dead air, it finally hit me. "Wait! How do you know?!"

With eyes that resembled my parent's when they saw my report card, in a spiteful tone, she replied, "How dissapointing."

"E-Excuse me?"

"Have you felt like you were being watched ever since you stepped out the door?"

"..."

With not a clue of what was happening, I blankly stared at the ground.

A sigh could be heard. While facepalming, Ria's doppelganger whispered underneath her breath, "Forget it. You're hopeless."

"Uhh... do you mind telling me?" I replied in a doting manner.

Honestly, it bewilders me that I ended up in this situation. Nori and I only used that ability to escape from him. Turns out, whenever I walk in the future, he can't catch me.

It was only meant as a last resort option... Since it could send me to the afterlife, but it appears that won't be necessary anymore.

Here I am, speaking with death incarnate. No matter how calm I am about this doesn't matter! I still died... and I couldn't even see her wake-

"Stop crying, you pathetic brat!"

"..."

A burning pain pervaded my cheeks. I don't know what caused it... I was stuck in a world of my own thoughts, but whatever prompted this sensation made me come back to my senses.

"Why would you give up after everything you've done?!" The mysterious figure furiously yelled as she raised her hand. "You're not even dead in the first place!"

"..."

"Eh?"

I'm not... dead? But I just met the grim reaper a few minutes ago! And I'm damn sure that guy earlier said who knew my cause of death!

"You're in Purgatory, dumbfuck! Didn't you take lessons?!"

Her soothing, high-pitched voice certainly doesn't fit her personality...

With an innocent kid's face, I answered, "S-Sorry... all that stuff about Midway's religion bored me, and my teacher was... quite the athiest."

I remember that one time Uncle Jerry cursed God by spewing a barrage of unholy words that I dare not say in front of a priest. Those were good times.

"Argh! Speaking with you is making me lose brain cells! I want you out of my sight as soon as possible." The mysterious figure exclaimed as she cracked both her knuckles.

Gradually crawling away from her presence, I stuttered, "U-Uhh, d-do you have plans for the... next couple seconds? I trust that you won't assure my death, right?"

Before I knew it, her left hand radiated green. It appears to be an orb of light, blanketed by a black mist, portentously glowing in the color of leaves.

She then raised her hand, forehead level, and slowly started to approach me. "Before I send you to the next world, I have a few last words with you."

"W-Wait! Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?!" I scrambled as I crawled away.

"Take care of Ria for me."

|...|

This is strange... a strong wind is going against my body, yet I'm plowing through it like it's nothing. My body seems to be lying down mid-air, but how?! Am I falling?!

"Haha! Shall we have a toast, Hitoshi?"

I can hear laughter... ringing inside my head as I descend. My sense of hearing barely functions. It's like my ears are next to a jet turbine.

"That was a good deal, %#@$."

I can see the light... getting brighter and brighter as I sink. My sense of sight barely functions. It's like somebody sewed my eyelids together.

"You hauled in a monster for us, Hitoshi."

I can sniff the scent of blood... infused with the aroma of alcohol. My sense of smell barely functions. It's like... It's like...

"Enough with the lip service, $!@#. We both saved each other's ass." A familiar menacing voice exclaimed.

I could hardly make it out with my ringing ears, but midway to the sentence, something was blurred, like a censor on a Tv program.

"But Hitoshi, it was surprising to see you struggle against a mere kid."

"%!@, you just don't get it, do you? If it were you in my place, you would've struggled twice more."

"Well, I have to agree with you on that one. It's my host you were fighting against, after all."

"Speaking of hosts, I thought you were after a white-haired half-elf, $!#^@. What happened with that?"

A deranged laugh echoed throughout my head. This raspy, low-pitched voice as if it were a bass... "My! I'm glad you asked! You could say it was... destiny!"

"There you go again with that bullshit, %!@..."

"Your head sure did get big, Hitoshi. Sharp tongue for someone whom I saved."

"I-I apologize, lord $!@%. I may have lost my subordinates, but I still have my connection to Oshigurama!"

"There's a good boy... oh! It seems like our guest is about to wake up soon. Well then, you know what to do, Hitoshi."

"Y-Yes... lord $@$#."